New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-18
E1AEN rERRYs GRBATEsTTRfUMPA
THE POEM OF THE AMBER HEART.
From me Iondon Theatre.

THE POEM OF THE AMBER HEART.
Prom The london Theatre.
Mr. Calhoun calls The Amber Heart poetcal
fancy thus APPLY describing III; work Az ian sb
ianlts of construction in tho Last ocr. Inc AmDer
Heart" il q poem and so Eiea Terrys creation OF
ElaIinc rarely have author and actress been IN sncn
perteot avn pstby he has been inspired by her, and
she has become the embo 1ment OF his ideal.
The plot IL plot II be called. Is OF the snghiest
ElIrline has from her birth worn an annlet, which
guards her from tho feeling OF love and gives Der nap
pine a. She casts aside he amber heart 10 ma htr
own. and misery and when she Is o.sahon ann he dn
brnK IN she ia saved from death by the charm Deihg
replaced on her neck. That is all. Where does the
nctcu take place We know not, nor do we care IN
tho land of dreams most sssurediy, anu wnhe tne
bright vision ,t that eli. angel woman Elaine. uiis
before our eyes, wOald not Tor the worlu Do a"ak
ened TO the crude reals OF some modern plays. oh
douhtedy Mr. Calmours work Is not perfect, put tne
or,crtu fancy which romes from his zen Ia truly vel
come Poetry has not tahed from our llyes as many
would have MS believe but so few care 10 se'k OUT
Alter me OF the plays have seen OF late, where
disnl,v of vice and tynicism IL the chief 1terest
The Amber Heart" has come to us as coo ana re-
fresbing drink TO Iips parched by an unhealthy at
snbare Mr calmour bele yea in the goodness
and nuselfsnDess OF woman. Whom wearing the M
Der he irt which makes it impossible Tor Elaine 10
b. in love she is quite incapable of being heait-
less This bri, ht chIld-liko GIRL when making sport
of old SIR Simon, does so in pure spirit OF "errt
ment, not in macr She ~ anxious - make up Ie
quarrel between her cousin MiraDrlle and OeOnfy.
Swectly afectIonate to her guardian Coranto. when
she tells Svo that she cannot love him; anu thoush
che understands not what It IL TO love IN van Is u
earne t. not in Jest that she IL nxious to see MIN
cnr ed Of this curious disease they all call love, ana
her words are truly kind when he bids HIM not 10
leave IN haste. nut to tarry among th.m "uere
the 0iris have learned TO sing sweeer songs sincs
they have heard hs lutte. When COranto, her foster
father la unguarded moment discovers TO her the
potency OF the tasman she wears ard this happy. III
nocsnt oLIld that she may moi again be caleu hchft
less by MiraDele. throws il into the lake. what no"
OF tenderness This - that wakens her INTO WOMAN
pod. When Slvio te1 her to twine her arms about
his neck, aud she coniesses hsr love with the open
frankness purity II IL like glow OF sunshine er-
spreading all with is glOr ous rays. 30 Jar LiIch
Terry had charm aud fascinated all bnt even then
few expected she could wiring IRON our hearts me
truest tears OF sympathy ever shed wtnin theatre,
b. the truest patho- ever seen on the stage. "hen
alter short month tho selbsn, lncon-tant poet
feels his verse must neod- nm ia Flrhton Iro,n au
other muse. the of Ellaiins shines loria
She does not reproacb him. but herself tor his cold
.. For within mouth
NY love conli not so change Mine is the fault
II he hath lately drawn himself apart
It Is because he's busy in his verse;
Not that he loves inc less
Bat she long permitted to rem ain in doubt, he
himself that she lOnger Inspires nun, ana
inspiration was all that this mAn eaten up Win
vanity. sought ia her love Not one unkini word
comes from Elaine; with look OF indispensable pain
twtc ling OF the LANDS, cue gently olds
hir go To Mrrabee and les We her alone. But get
thes wthn, get tnce witdIn' sho repeats; and wneh
ia alone aud she sinks dpwn on the bench over
Swallowed BY the trees tn't border tho ak her poor
broken ear: bursts forth into such -ob' would move
stone pity. II IL toe cry OF poor hunted creature.
wounded unto death by the one she loved best, Tho
wal OF agony IN the lines
on mother. mother an punished now
For casting your sweet gin into rae lake.
NJ heart IL broSen. aud never more
shall know the JOY Of poaccfuluess again
shot through ones heart like pang OF craze! pain
Never has actress natural and true Ia ner
acc ms. Elalinc reality. "a LIVING suffering
sister There was not woman that did not long TO
iolt Der her AMI comfort her not man that
would not have LAID down his lite tor her,
The li.tl. heart Is ours. AID yol have grief;
Come. Elaine. aud sleep beside II herc'
These are the words the ru,hes from the lake have
been murmuriug the distracted WON an, aud as sue
ran out wildly cNclaimins
They call on rue again. FAREWELL FAREWELL
must not stay, c,.ne. sweetdehrt! cOmoI
every one held their breath If some terrible
ophe. had really happened. One moment oil
silence then the audience recalling that Elaine was
Ellen Terry shook the very walls OF the Lyceum VITA
their applause. lling her four times. Never mas
Ellen Terry oecn greater th,n IN this scene. Like a
poor discarded flower that has beon worn nearest the
lac art her fragrance increased by being crushed
of grlsi seemed to pass over her soul, wrinI
Ing from it a coord OF deep pathos that yibrated
through every heart while tears. real tears flowed
from her ewes. 80
The last act il disap ointiug. knew Elaine was
not attended 10 die ana expected that Corant) would
rescue her IRON the OF the lake. bat no. whIe
all t>k sh, mas p,risoI she has quietly fetnrned 10
the castle to take last look AT her mothers picture
In hs search tor her CorantU has recovered the
amber heart when he restores TO its former place on
her Ani ali that has passed seems TO her out
as a dream. iron which she has just been awakened.
Are we glad to Eilane her former sell again
Not quito We would have her happy, but not iusen-
sible; we would. have time Coranto's devoted
fatherly affection her back to sweet content nut
have her forget that she has loved. nor that IN
passing through tho furnace she mas proved pure gold
Ele ferry, with q true instinct, clothed tho last
scene with a tnge OF sadness which even tho amber
heart could not quite dispel. Still Mr. Glamour h"s
given us sLcn charming poem that We must hot Do
hypercriticaL Graceful and poetic III fancy and III
language rhe AMBER Heart" will win oil hearts md
be "a talisnan OF success Admirably put on the
stage, excollently acted all round it has provided
Ellen Terry with her greatest triumph.